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Use the App Catalog to make custom business apps available for your SharePoint Online environment

5/22/2018

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As a SharePoint or global admin in Office 365, you can create an App Catalog site to make internally developed custom apps available for users to install when they browse apps under the From Your Organization filter on the Site Contents page. Site owners can then add these apps to customize sites with specific functionality or to display information.

After the App Catalog site has been created, you can use it to upload any custom apps that your organization has developed. Uploading custom apps isn't much more complicated than uploading a document to a library and setting some properties. You can use the App Catalog site to do things like install custom or third-party apps on sites for users (also called app deployment). You can also manage app requests from users.

Step 1: Create the App Catalog site collection

The first step is to create the App Catalog site collection if it hasn't already been created.

Even if you don't plan to make internal custom apps available, you will not be able to do things like change the purchase settings for the SharePoint Store until you create the App Catalog site collection. You can have only one App Catalog site collection for your organization, and you only need to create it once.

Sign in to Office 365 as a global admin or SharePoint admin.

Select the app launcher icon in the upper-left and choose Admin to open the Microsoft 365 admin center. (If you don't see the Admin tile, you don't have Office 365 administrator permissions in your organization.)

In the left pane, choose Admin centers > SharePoint.

Select apps in the left pane, and then select App Catalog.

If the App Catalog site doesn't open, select Create a new app catalog site, and then select OK.

On the Create App Catalog Site Collection page, enter the required information, and then select OK.

Step 2: Add custom apps to the App Catalog site

To get to the App Catalog site once it's been created, follow steps 1 through 4 in the previous section. The site may take a little time to appear. The App Catalog site will have a document library for Apps for Office and a document library for Apps for SharePoint, as well as a list that tracks App Requests from site users.

On the home page of the App Catalog site, select the tile labeled either Distribute apps for SharePoint or Distribute apps for Office, depending on which type of app you are uploading.

Select New and browse to the app you want upload, or drag the app into the library.

Note

Depending on the functionality that the app provides, the developer can set a flag that allows you to make the app available to all sites in the organization. If the app builds something (for example, it creates a new list), you can't make it available to all sites and will need to deploy it as described in the next section under "Deploy a custom app." We always recommend testing solutions before deploying them more broadly. If the "Do you trust" dialog box appears when you upload the app, and you want to make the app available to all sites in your organization, select Make this solution available to all sites in the organization, and then click Deploy.

To help site owners identify and use the app, right-click it, and then click Properties.

In the properties dialog form, you can change the Name for the app and enter optional information like a description, images, category, publisher, and support URL. Follow the instructions on the screen for details like image size.

Make sure the Enabled check box is selected so that users are able to add this app to sites.

If it appears, in the Hosting Licenses box, specify the number of licenses you think you will need.

Select Save.

Note

If you want to make third-party apps available for users to find and install, you simply need to buy a site license for them. When you buy a site license for a third-party app from the SharePoint store, the apps will automatically display under Apps You Can Add.

Step 3 (optional): Install an app for users

If you want all users to use an app, you can deploy it to specific site collections, managed paths, or site templates. Deploying an app essentially installs that app on a site for users so that is available for use. Deployed apps appear on the Site Contents page for a site.

Select the ellipses ( ...) next to the app, select the ellipses ( ...) again in the callout to view the menu, and then select Deployment. (for some apps the Deployment command may appear on the first callout).

On the Manage App Deployments page, type the URL for each site collections to which you want to deploy the app, and then select Add to add it to the list.

In the Managed Paths section use the Add button to specify which managed paths should have this app available.

In the Site Templates section, use the Add button to specify which site templates should have this app available.

Select OK.

If you are prompted to Trust the app, select Trust It.

Deploy a custom app

If you upload a custom app to the App Catalog, it is automatically available for users to install when they browse apps under From Your Organization. If you want you want the app to be available for use without the need for site users to install it, you can deploy it.

After you have uploaded the app, you then must add it as an app to the App Catalog site so that it appears on the Site Contents page for the App Catalog itself. On the App Catalog site, go to Settings and then click Add an app.

Select the app you want to add, and click Trust It when prompted.

On the Site Contents page, find the app you want to deploy.

Click the ellipses ( ...) next to the app, Click the ellipses ( ...) again in the callout to view the menu, and then click Deployment. (for some apps the Deployment command may appear on the first callout).

On the Manage App Deployments page, type the URL for each site collections to which you want to deploy the app, and then click Add to add it to the list.

In the Managed Paths section use the Add button to specify which managed paths should have this app available.

In the Site Templates section, use the Add button to specify which site templates should have this app available.

Click OK.

If you are prompted to Trust the app, click Trust It.

Note

It may take up to 30 minutes for an app to deploy. If you deploy an app that adds commands to the item callout for document libraries or lists, then those commands are visible to users. However, if you deploy an app that features custom ribbon controls or an App Part, additional steps may be required to make the user interface commands for the app appear.

Remove an app from the App Catalog

If you no longer want a specific app to be available for users to install, you can remove it from the app catalog. Any instances of the app that have already been added to sites by users will remain, but the app will no longer be available for users to add to additional sites.

On the App Catalog site, select the Apps for SharePoint list.

Right-click the app that you want to remove and click Delete.

In the dialog box, click OK to confirm that you want to send the item to the site Recycle Bin.